Port Washington passes bill to give public say in data center TID approvals

The city of Port Washington, Wisconsin, has taken a significant step to increase public oversight over large-scale developments, including data centers. On Tuesday, the city council approved a referendum that will now require any future project valued at more than $10 million to receive approval from taxpayers before being designated into a tax increment district (TID). This new policy effectively grants the public a direct voice in the approval process for major development projects, which include potential data center constructions. The measure aims to ensure that citizens have a say in how such projects are financed and integrated into the city's economic framework.